4 Distinctive Writing Conferences and Workshops in December 2023

Because of the holidays, writing conferences are sparse in December. That doesn't mean there are none worth attending.

For a month-by-month list of conferences throughout the year see: Writing Conferences. (You will also find links to resources that can help you find conferences in your area on that page.)

(Image: Granite Dells, Arizona: Carol M. Highsmith’s America, Library of Congress collection. Digitally enhanced by rawpixel.)

____________________

The Fall 2023 Online Writing Workshop of Chicago. December 8 - 9, 2023. "This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” online writing workshop. In other words, it’s two days full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. And even though this is the Online Fall “San Diego” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually. Our WDW writers conferences have helped dozens of writers find literary agent representation." 

Larksong's 4th Annual Speedwriting & Reading Party. Saturday, December 9, 2023: Online. Workshop Leaders: Zedeka Poindexter, Steve Edwards, Tommy Dean, Kelly Madigan. Readers: Cliff Taylor, Mary Pipher, JV Brummels, Monica Joy, LeeAnn Roripaugh. "The format is simple. We alternate five-minute readings with 15-minute mini writing workshops that start with a craft talk and end with a writing prompt. Five readings, four workshops, so you’ll not only leave the event inspired but you’ll have some new writing too! After the presentations there’s time for a Q&A with writers and other participants." Free.

A(n) (Un)holy Alliance: Braiding the Sacred and the Profane. December 13, 2023, 6:00-7:30PM EST. "The word profane refers to the secular world, the parts of a life that are not directly related to spiritual or religious practice. However you may define the spiritual in your own life, what might happen in our writing if we blend the sacred and the profane to make a liminal world where these two things coexist?" Free.

The Mesa Book Festival. December 16, 2023: Mesa, Arizona. The festival features presentations, readings, visits with authors, and a poetry open mic. "Everyone! Authors, Publishers, and Book Sellers are invited to  register for space to showcase, promote, and sell their books. Readers are invited to come and buy their books direct. We're encouraging a wide variety of literary arts purveyors to share their work to create a bigger audience for everyone." All events are free and open to the public.